You have been incredibly respectful, one of the most respectful people I have dealt with throughout the campaign. I have a ton of respect for the way you have approached things. But I do remain touchy when people equate certain Republicans with the party as a whole. I'm not disputing that there were some crazies who made their voice heard during this election. As you have probably noted from my previous comments, I'm not thrilled with the way the Republican party has turned in the past few months.

But, I am seriously concerned that there are some, on this board, and otherwise, who have so much anger towards the Republicans. It's almost like, if it's not unanimous, that there are issues.

As a Republican, I do take the burden of the party upon myself. I have tried to represent the party to my best ability, and it bothers me when some try to paint the whole party with a broad brush. The machinery is broken, but as a Republican, I take that burden upon myself as a member of the party.

And this is exactly what happened to the Democrats when they lost the religious vote during the Reagan era. You're kind of being a dick here, NA - this is an awkward post-hoc analysis from a victorious group during an election that couldn't have possibly gone any other way . . . it's very similar to the Clinton mid-term elections, to be quite honest. I just don't get why you'd even post this - and this, as one of your biggest message-board fans, whatever that's worth.

why should you be ashamed?

If you have a solid reason for backing your candidate, then there is no problem....

Nader. Nader. Nader. what are we to do with him? just wow. CNN keeps replaying it. lol

AlphaGamDiva...only time will tell is right!! but you should always have some pride in voting to begin with! and now you are allowed to complain lol!

gonna hit the sheets...i am mentally SHOT! catch up with you all tomorrow!

Nader has really cashed in all his chips, so to speak. He did some good things for the population, but now he's living on his reputation.

I'm going to be the lightning rod for stupid people who can't hold an intelligent conversation, but he actually has a moderate point - remember that multiple sources reported that Obama's run for editor of the Harvard Law Journal was promoted strongly by black students thinking that Obama would provide a strong voice for their movement . . . instead, he provided a strong centrist voice, and actually moved past politics (to their chagrin).

Assuming Nader is referring to Obama's ability to retain his strong minority base, he actually may have an interesting point - what happens when Obama actually lives up to his centrist (or, rather, mutual-respect) ideals?

Jesse Jackson in tears...

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/pol...son.crying.cnn

Just an FYI...but this doesn't always happen. The electors of each state can decide to ignore the popular vote (of their state) and vote for whoever they want.

It happened in the 2000 presidential election. Al Gore won the popular vote, Bush won the electoral vote.

A double-shot from the KSigs! :)

Ok, first, I wasn't trying to be a "dick" RC, I'm not sure why you read it that way. I was actually, in my own emotionally-exhausted-way, trying to show my support for what I think of as the "Republican" party. I grew up with the GOP and still have respect for its core principles. I was trying to say that I just don't even recognize the party that's operating right now under the "Republican" banner. And I think it's great, KSigkid, that you see it as a responsibility to take the burden on as a "Republican", but I just didn't want to see you taking people's comments about the booing, etc., so personally. I don't think anyone on this board thinks of you guys and your beliefs with the same distaste they may have for the more the extreme voices that have taken over for the Republicans, especially during the last legs of this campaign.

Sorry if I didn't articulate that well (before or now). I've been through enough wins and enough losses to understand how elated or depressed both sides feel right now. And it does seriously suck to be on the losing end.

Still unbelievable.

But, you're talking about a position he took a number of years ago. One looks at his platform, and it paints a different picture. And, that relies on Nader keeping his 2008 promises, which is questionable.

Plus, I don't think Obama lives up to those centrist ideals.

AlphaGamDiva, don't be ashamed of how you voted. I have no shame in admitting that I voted for Gray Davis as the governor of California twice nor do I have shame in admitting that I signed to recall his ass. I also voted for Schwarzeneggar and have no shame in admitting it.

Take pride that you did vote and even if your candidate didn't win, you stuck to your beliefs regardless of the outcome.

I personally think, that with the Democrats taking such a huge advantage with Congress and the Presidency....

It reminds me of when other political parties in history became lackluster and slowly started to lose their power. (Whigs, Tories, Progressives, the old Democrats and Republicans (back in the 1800s), and so on and so forth) so maybe this is just this Republican Party's time to fail, rise again from the ashes, and become a strong party?

I respect your viewpoint - but I honestly think there are people, on this board and beyond, who have imputed the beliefs of Bush, McCain and Palin, across the party. I honestly think that some members of this board have taken the beliefs of the party and imputed them to every individual member. And, I think it's evident from the comments by some members of the board.

There are some people, like you, who have been extremely accepting of the opposite viewpoint. But, that's not universal, unfrortuntately.

I hear you.

My Dad has raised me with some great one-liners I still rely on to this day, one springs to mind: "Consider the source."

It's kept me from throttling more than one person along the way. ;)

Soth Dakota VOTING DOWN Anti Abortion law!
 

CBS News projects that voters in South Dakota voted down Measure 11, which would have prohibited abortions except in cases where the mother's life or health is at a substantial and irreversible risk, and in cases of reported rape and incest. If it had passed, it would likely have triggered a legal challenge which could have lead to the U.S. Supreme Court and a reconsideration of the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that established the right to abortion.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...rColumnContent

I think you're on to something here, but I don't think the Republican Party is down for the count.

Had the Democrats lost tonight, however, they might have been. Even as a Hillary voter in primaries, I have to admit Obama's candidacy has done some pretty exciting things for the Democratic Party, first and foremost energizing the youth vote. Hopefully that can last, and usher the US into a more active political era, either way.

Personally, although I liked Obama's speech very much, I also really liked John McCain's. Although there was a marked departure between his image before the campaign (likeable, sharp, thoughtful) and during (crotchety, confused, dismissive), there were also some shining moments of humanity in him, including his condemnation of the "arab/terrorist" labels. His concession speech was one of those moments. Maybe we didn't really lose the John McCain we thought we loved before. And honestly, although my candidate won, and I'm incredibly glad for that, I think McCain has served his country (in several ways) and that's something we should be, if not grateful for, at least respectful of.

To add to my previous rant about ignorant jackasses going on and on about moving to Canada, I wish people would stop making statements without checking their facts.

Obama is NOT Muslim but if he was, what difference would it make? Does it matter? Jeez.

I just saw on CBS that "Yes on Prop 8" is leading by over 200,000 votes. There is still a long way to go because it's only at 32% precincts so far.

This is fair, but honestly you seemed more pointed than this. This kind of context gives a lot more insight, but without this context, a lot of depth is missing. I hope you get where I'm coming from, and that I'm not impugning you at all. All good - it's that kind of night either way. I voted for Barr, so clearly I have a skewed view regardless (obviously IA was clearly Obama as of last year, so it was mostly to keep the ballot open in the future).

None of this matters though - that's exactly my point. Nader may be a crazy angry silly old man, BUT if Obama's plan is forthright, Nader may actually have some semblance of a point. It doesn't matter what you think - that's the promise, and that's exactly the dilemma Nader is presenting.

Well I suppose I'll find out about Prop 8 in California tomorrow. Thanks for the banter (and verifying that I did, indeed, hear a CNN pundit say "peace out, cubscout"). I'm going to finish out my night by watching Peter and Lois Griffin run against one another for school board.

And it comes to an end...
 

I've never been prouder to be an American. History in the making--President Barack Obama! It's nice to be on the right side of history. ;)

Ironically, this addresses an issue that UGA brought up earlier that I didn't want to address for lack of data . . . however, Silver has already discussed it, so I'll go ahead an appeal to oracle.

The reason why the Bradley Effect should have been completely discounted this election? There are TONS of people (white, black and in between) who are excited to "be a part of history" - this would, nearly by definition, offset any real or perceived Bradley Effect. Again - mobilizing the electorate was Obama's coup . . . keeping that momentum is the key.

You're not the only one. I live here in California and I'm stunned by this. I really hope to wake up and find that the results have changed.

Me too. But I'm staying up via internet with my two best friends, who are staying up until they find out if they're still going to be married in the morning.

It really feels like two steps forward and one back.

yeah it does, but if that's what it means to push for progress... do you think that's what we should do?

Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward, I guess. It's just horrible to see GLBT rights go down the drain like they seem to be doing tonight.

Wow, what a night! I'm physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted from crying tears of joy and drinking too much champagne. Almost went to Grant Park (waitlisted) but wanted to hear his speech live, loud and clear.

McCain's speech was very touching and it really seemed heart-felt. It reminded me of the senator I respected so much 20 years ago, before this whole campaign began. I wish him well as he returns to his important work in the Senate.

Loved Obama's speech. He always seems to get the mood right ---appropriately sober. We've got a whole lot of work ahead of us. I hope and pray that he'll be up to the task, that the country will come together after such a devisive campaign and that we can get through the tough times ahead and have a better future.

I'm just so glad this election is over! Can we stop being foremost Republicans and Democrats and just be Americans again?

Uh.... I have to correct you here. In 2000, Al Gore did indeed win the overall popular vote. But he just didn't win the right combination of states to capture the electoral vote. None of the electors changed their vote or voted for someone other than the person they were obligated to. You might argue that Florida SHOULD have sent Democrat electors to the electoral college, but they sent Republican ones for better or worse.

Bear in mind that technically we're not even voting for president but for electors who have pledged to vote for a specific person for president.

Every state has a winner-take-all system when it comes to electors, except for Maine and Alaska.

Electors are obligated to vote for the candidate that wins the majority in their state. An elector who does not vote for the candidate they are pledged to vote is termed a "faithless elector" and is relatively rare. We're talking maybe 1 elector per election and often none. Not anything that's thrown an election to a different candidate. Ever. In the entire history of the USA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector

Wow. The was a pretty sweet win. :D Now let's get to the good stuff and see what this man can really do!

And in Michigan, both Medical Marijuana and Embryonic Stem Cell research proposals PASSED! Woooooooot! The ads against the stem cell research were brutal, showing half cow/half humans in one ad, embryo production companies in one and comparing to the Tuskegee Experiment in one! I'm so glad the majority of Michiganders didn't fall for that. There "2 goes 2 far" signs all over the place and hardly any "Yes on 2" signs. I truly didn't think it would pass. The Pro-Lifers were totally against it. But, it passed!

Yay for South Dakota!

Boo for California and Arkansas. I was ashamed in 2004 that Michigan voted that marriage was only between a man and woman. I've debated that one ad nauseum here...

No, this does not mean the end of the Republican Party any more than George Bush and a solid Republican Congress/Senate meant the end of the Democratic Party. But, it is OUR turn to celebrate! We get a shot at fixing things now, we can only hope that we're successful.

GOBAMA!

Moe - Hilarious!

It's dorky, but I can't wait to watch The View today and watch Elizabeth sulk. :D

I seriously can't stand her.

i forgot i get to do that today too!!! she is going to argue but she needs to shut the heck up and deal with it...he is her president too!!

yes!!!!
 

i am sick as a dog right now, but i am waiting with baited breath to see that bitter biddy.

the rest of the girls shouldnt even say anything....just sit quietly and smile at her...lol! i predict a lot of stuttering...

Huh?!